By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

CARMEL – Junior Kayla Vaughn’s two-out, bases-loaded single in the top of the fourth inning provided all the scoring April 18 as Class 4A No. 14 Carmel opened its annual invitational tournament by knocking off 4A third-ranked McCutcheon, 2-0.

Don’t let the score deceive you, however, as it’s not like each school didn’t have multiple offensive opportunities. Carmel – designated the visiting team in the opening game of Pool A play – stranded five runners across seven innings, all in scoring position at either second or third base.

McCutcheon, on the other hand, left an even dozen runners on base – 11 of them in scoring position. That included an opening span over the first three frames where the Mavericks had runners on second and third with one out, two outs, and one out.

The closest McCutcheon came to getting on the scoreboard came in the third inning. Junior second baseman Megan Millikan led off with a dribbler to Carmel junior pitcher Erika Petruzzi that she was able to barely beat out at first. Millikan promptly stole second then, after a lineout to left by senior pitcher Tori Collins, moved to third on a single ripped between shortstop and third base by junior first baseman Meg Teller.

Teller then stole second, putting runners on second and third for junior catcher Tristan Wilcox. Her grounder to short was fielded cleanly by – ironically – Vaughn – whose throw home was perfect and just in time to beat the sliding Millikan. Wilcox advanced to second on the throw home, but Petruzzi got sophomore designated player Sarah Copley to ground out to second to end the threat.

Momentum on their side, the Greyhounds came up to bat and utilized three singles and a walk to plate the game’s only runs.

Petruzzi led off with a single between short and third before senior second baseman Katie Cretin flew out to right. But senior catcher Kimi Blewett also singled through the hole on the left side (with freshman courtesy runner Kelsi Jones entering for her), and both runners advanced when a passed ball got past Wilcox.

After freshman designated player Katie Osborn struck out, senior first baseman Hannah Croucher milked a walk off a full count to jam the sacks with two down. Vaughn proceeded to lace a line drive right over second base, allowing Petruzzi to score easily and drawing a throw to home plate from senior centerfielder Maggie Tull.

Tull double-pumped on the throw, however, and that delay was just enough to allow Jones to slide past the tag of a diving Wilcox. Sophomore rightfielder Emily Tweedy then popped up to third, but the damage had been done.

MORE TO COME …

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